Old Town is the oldest settled area in San Diego and the site of the first European settlement in present day California. Today the area covers 230 acres and is home to the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Join me on a stroll through Old Town San Diego and see where California began.
Getting here from downtown San Diego is easy. I took the trolley which takes about 10 minutes to the Old Town Transit Center and then it’s just a short walk across the road to the Historic State Park.
My stroll through Old Town San Diego starts when you enter the Historic State Park. The McCoy House dates from 1869 and was rebuilt in 2000, it sits at 4002 Wallace Street. James McCoy was and Irish born immigrant who ended up in San Diego in 1849 after serving in the US Army. He built the Greek Revival house with its columned front porch for himself and his wife, a style that was popular with wealthy 19th century Americans. He became city sheriff for ten years and was later elected a state senator in 1871.
The Robinson-Rose House at 4098 Mason Street was built by James Robinson in 1853 (reconstructed in 1989). Arriving from Texas, Robinson developed a successful law practice as well as other business interests. He built this two story adobe in the Monterey style with its second story wooden balcony for his second wife and their son. After Robinsons death, Louis Rose, a German immigrant and Old Town’s first Jewish settler bought the building. Rose served on the town’s first grand jury and later became a city trustee. Both men were members of San Diego’s first Masonic Lodge and both opened the house for the group’s meetings.
The Ruiz-Carrillo Adobe was home to Francisco Maria Ruiz. The house was built around 1810-1817 (renovated in 1931) and sits at 4136 Wallace Street. Ruiz was a Mexican born presidio comandante who built the house next to his pear orchard. He gave the house to one of his god children whose father was Joaquin Carrillo, a close relative. Joaquin’s daughter, Josefa eloped with Harry Delano Fitch, a Yankee trader and sea captain to Chile causing quite a scandal at the time. Over time the house deteriorated until it was bought by George Marston, a merchant and philanthropist in 1931. He renovated the adobe and its grounds deeding them to the City of San Diego for the Presidio golf course for which it is still used now.
My next stop is the La Casa de Machado y Wrightington built at 2769 San Diego Avenue around 1830 (reconstructed 1985). This adobe dwelling was built by Jose Manuel Machado for his daughter Juana and her first husband who sadly died in 1835. She then married Thomas Wrightington who had arrived from Massachusetts. After his death in 1853 Juana remained in the house until the late 1890’s. The town’s people knew her as a folk healer and surrogate mother to those less fortunate, she spoke Spanish, English and Kumeyaay, the local dialect. Throughout her life in San Diego she lived under the rule of the Spanish, the Mexicans and the United States.
Right next door is the Light-Freeman house at 2767 San Diego Avenue. Originally constructed in 1847 what can be seen today is a rebuild from 1985 as the original house was destroyed by fire in 1858. This four room, single story adobe was home to Allen B. Light and Richard Freeman, two prominent African Americans who bought the house from the Machado family. They operated a saloon here and Freeman was also California’s first black police officer until he died in 1851.
Along the same block is La Casa de Machado y Silvas. Built in 1832 by Jose Manuel Machado for his daughter Maria and her husband. This is one of the Old Towns oldest standing adobe structures and was restored in 1968. The house stayed in the Silvas family for over a century and has since been used as a boarding house, restaurant, saloon, museum, souvenir shop and a church.
Colorado House built in 1851 and reconstructed in 1992 was originally a hotel built and operated by Cave Johnson Couts, a lieutenant in the US Army Dragoons. The building also housed the city’s first newspaper, the pro slavery San Diego Herald. Later, after Couts sold the building it became a Wells Fargo agency and now houses the Wells Fargo Museum. This and many other buildings were destroyed in the Old Towns fire of 1872.
Sitting next door to Colorado House is the San Diego Courthouse which was originally built around 1850 by the Mormons. The Mormons travelled nearly 2000 miles on foot to San Diego to join US forces in the Mexican-American war of 1846. The structure you see today was built in 1992 after the original was destroyed by fire.
La Case de Estudillo was built in 1827 by Captain Jose Maria Estudillo. The building sits at 4000 Mason Street and became the Old Towns social and religious centre during the early Mexican and American periods. Built originally as a two room adobe with rooms added over time it eventually became the u shaped hacienda that you see today. It was restored in 1906 by sugar magnate John D. Spreckles who opened it as a tourist attraction and is known by popularising Spanish style architecture in California.
The Cosmopolitan Hotel started out life as a single story adobe built in 1827 by Don Juan Bandini who was a member of Peru’s Spanish upper class. Fast forward to 1869 and new owner Albert Seeley, an American from Illinois with an English wife. He added the American style wooden frame and the balconies. Today it’s considered a good example of 19th century California.
Walk back to San Diego Avenue and just as you’re about to leave the Old Town Historic Park there’s a place called El Centro Artisano, an outdoor shop selling brightly coloured pottery and other garden decor. It caught my eye and was fun to wander around.
As you leave the State Historic Park San Diego Avenue becomes a more modern road but still with a few interesting places to visit. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1919, a newer version of the original which was begun in 1868 but sat unfinished for 46 years until it was knocked down. This structure was built in the Spanish revival style to honour the Spanish soldiers who brought Catholicism to the area. The bell tower houses one of the original bells from the San Diego Mission.
A little further down San Diego Avenue is the Whaley House. Built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley of Brooklyn who designed it for his family after coming to California for the gold rush. This rare Greek revival residence is the oldest brick house in San Diego and is reputed to be the most haunted house in America.
There are many restaurants in this area serving Mexican food and of course margaritas but for me my favourite area to eat was back in the State Historic Park. Brightly coloured, lively and just full of life, I thought it had a more authentic feel.
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There’s lots to explore here so it’s best just to wander around and discover all the little nooks and crannies filled with unique shops selling handcrafted gifts and souvenirs. When you’re done shopping find a table at one of the many restaurants and enjoy some Mexican cuisine.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my stroll through Old Town San Diego. Even though a lot of it has been rebuilt I think it still gives a good insight into what the early days in California were like for those first pioneers. Where they lived, how they lived and how they survived some pretty tough times.
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